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(No M d l A LESLIE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVALID HAMMOGK. No. 317,383.Patented May 5, 1885;

I? 7L V (N0 Model.) I 2.Sheets-Sheet 2.

I A. LESLIE.

INV'ALID HAMMOGK.

No. 317,383. Patented May5, 1885.

Tvii-mesus'ewl 'nuenzw' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE? LESLIE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO MARY A. LESLIE,

' OF SAME PLACE.

l NVALlD-HAMMOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,383, dated May 5,1885.

Application filed October 25, 1884. (No model.)

To alZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW LESLIE, of St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Hammocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to that kind of in valid-hammock described andillustrated in my Letters Patent No. 266,167, dated October 17, l882thatis to say, a hammock adapted to be attached at its lower end to the footof the bedstead, and connected at its upper end with a hoisting orlifting device which, whether attached to the bedstead or to anyconvenient part of the room in which the bedstead may be located, isadapted to raise or lower or sustain that end of the hammock.

The invention consists in certain improvements which are the outgrowthof experience, and are intended to obviate certain objections anddifficulties which have been metwith in the practical use of thehammock.,/

The hammock proper shown in my Letters Patent consists of a strip ofcanvas-duck of suitable length and width, which at each end is attachedto round sticks or rods, the footrod being attached to the foot of thebedstead, and the head-rod being connected by a rope to the hoistingdevice, which, preferably, is

' attached to the head of the bedstead.

"motion and pain in the region of the injured parts, and in rheumaticcases it has at times proved unserviceable by causing the patient toomuch pain by doubling him together in the effort to elevate him. In theother.iustances named it has been found impracticable to successfullyemploy the apparatus, Thus, while the particular form of apparatus shownin my patent in illustration of my invention possesses features ofadvantage, and can be successfully used in many cases, yet there aresome classes of cases to which it is not adequate.

It is with a view to adapt my patented i11- vention to all cases as faras practicable that my present improvements have been devised. To thisend the hammock proper consists of a quadrangular frame within which isstretched the canvas-duck or other pliable fabric or material. The siderails of the frame prevent the doubling together of the hammock, whilethe end rails keep the side rails at the proper distance apart. At thesame time, to permit the doubling or bending of the hammock in caseswhere it may be convenient or necessary, I make each side rail' in twopieces, hinged together, so as to permit the rail to bend at the joint,and with the hinge I combine means by which the hinged rail-sections canbe set or fixed at any desired angle with respect to one another. Whenthe patient is in some positions-as, for instance, when the hammock isentirely lifted from the bed, in either straight or bent position-it maybe found desirable to brace apart the side rails at a point intermediatebetween their ends; and to this end Iprovide a remov able brace, whichcan be applied to or taken away from the hammock as desired. The canvasis perforated, as in my patented device, to permit the use of a bed-pan,and I also employ a covering-flap; but the arrangement of the latter isdifferent from that shown in my'patent, the flap extending transverselyinstead of lengthwise of the hammock, and having cords adapted to catchin hooks on one of the side rails of the hammock.

The preferred means by which I attach the foot of the hammock to thebedstead consists of eyes on the foot-rail of the hammock, adapted tofit upon pins or hooks fast to the foot-board of the bedstead. Thehoisting device is of the same general character as that shown in myLetters Patent with some variation in the construction and arrangementof parts which will be hereinafter described.

The nature of my improvements and the manner in which the same are ormay be carried into effect will be readily understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional sideelevation of a bedstead provided with a hammock embodying myimprovements in their preferred form. Fig. 2 is a rear view of thehead-board of the bedstead, showing the hoisting device in placethereon. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the central portion of thehammock proper, representing the hinges of the side rail-sections, andthe preferred means for fixing the hinges at any desired angle. Fig. 4.is a view of the detachable brace. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section ofthe hoisting device. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are views representing some of theVarious positions in which the hammock can be placed.

The hammock proper consists of canvas A, of suitable width and length,secured at its longitudinal edges to side rails, B, which latter arebraced apart by head and foot crossrails O, the rails B and 0 thusforming a stiff rectangular frame in which the canvas is stretched.

To allow the occupant of the hammock to be put in a sitting positionwhenever desired, each side rail is hinged at or near its middle, asseen at a,- and in order to set or fix the a11- gle at which the twosections of the rail may stand with respect to one another, a hingedpawl, b, is attached to one of the sections in a position to engage aratchet or notched bar, 0, on the other. Thus the rails can be heldstiff and straight, or can be permitted to turn on their hinges more orless as required. The parts I) c are the means which at present I preforfor fixing the angle of the hinge; but other means which will suggestthemselves to the skilled mechanic may be substituted for them.

In cases where the hammock is to be raised entirely from the bed, it isnecessary to secure its lower end to the foot of the bedstead. Toprovide for this, I put on the foot ends of the side rails rings (I,which are adapted to fit over pins or hooks e on the foot-board of thebedstead. lVhen the hammock is not lifted from the bed, it is notnecessary that the rings and hooks should engage one another. From thehead of the hammock extends the ropef, which connects it with thehoisting device. I prefer to attach this rope to a cord or rope, g,extending between and fastened to the upper or head ends of the siderails, B. The rope f passes up over a pulley, h, on the upper end of atubular post, t, fixed by bands j to the back of the head-board, thencedown through the post to a second pulley, k, on the lower end of thelatter, and thence to the hoisting device D. This device consists ofabed-plate, Z, adapted to be conveniently applied to any suitable partof the bedstead, and supporting in proper bearings a winding-drum, m, towhich rope f is made fast, and a worm, it, provided with a winch orhandle, 0, and gearing with a worm-wheel, in, fast to drum on. Thehoisting device thus constructed can, it will be observed, easily befiistencd to any thefoot, or the sideswhich permits the bed .to beplaced in any part of the room.

At the proper point in canvas A is formed the opening E, and beneaththis opening, on the under side of the canvas, is the coveringfiap F,which extends crosswise of the hammock. It is attached at one end to oneside of the hammock, and its other end has knotted cords pgwhich dropinto hooks r on the adjoining rail, and thus hold the flap in positionto close the opening when it is not desired to use a bed-pan.

Fig. 6 shows the patient elevated in sitting posture for the comfort ofthat position, and foreating and reading. In this case the hammocksimply lies on the bed without being attached thereto at its lower end,the hinges of the side rails are unlocked, and the upper end or sectionof the hammock is lifted and held at the desired inclination by thehoisting device. In this position I it is not requisite that thepawl-and ratchet should engage one another.

Fig. 7 shows the patient elevated in re clining position when motion atthe hip joint is not permissible, or when, for other reasons, it is notdesirable to permit the hammock to bend. In this case the foot of thehammock is hooked to the foot-board of the bed, and the pawls andratchets engage one another in such position as to hold the side railsstiff and straight. In this position the bed-pan can be used, thebedding changed, and the body cooled.

Fig. 8 represents the patient elevated from the bed in sitting posture."In this position of the hammock the pawls and ratchets are so adjustedas to fix the angle of the hinged side rails. The bed-pan is moreconveniently applied in this position than in the one preceding.

\Vhen the hammock is elevated above the bed, as in Figs. 7 and 8, it isdesirable to brace the side rails apart at about the middle of thehammock or at some point intermediate between the ends. To this end Iprovide a detachable cross-brace, G, consisting of a piece of metalarched or equivalently formed, so that it may not interfere or bebrought in contact with the patient, and formed'at each end with a foot,8, to fit over and take hold of the side rail. This device can bereadily fitted to or removed from the hammock as desired.

The apparatus whichIhave described above possesses all the advantagesascribed to my patented apparatus, while at the same time it is fittedfor much wider and extensive use by reason of the improvements whichhave been embodied in it. I

I am aware that the flap for covering the hole in the hammock-body hasbeen held in place by buttons and button-holes, hooks and eyes, and likefastenings, and this I do not claim. The practical disadvantageattending such fastenings in the present connection is that, with theweight of the patient on the hammock, it is difficult to undo themwithout IIO disturbing him. N 0 such trouble can arise with thefastenings employed by'me.

What I claim as new and of my own invention is- 1. The hammockproper,consisting of a body of canvas or other suitable material held ina frame composed of side rails and end rails or bars, in combinationwith means for hinging its lower end to the foot of the bedstead, and ahoisting device applied to its opposite end and adapted to raise, lower,and sustain the hammock from that end, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

2. The hammock-body and its supportingframe, consisting of cross bars orrails and hinged side rails, in combination with means, substantially asdescribed, located on the railsections and upon opposite sides of thehinges, uniting said sections for fixing the angle of the hingesubstantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination,with a bedstead, of the hammock-body andhammock-frame, the eyes and pins or hooks attached to the hammockframeand bedstead foot-board, respectively, for securing the foot of thehammock to the bedstead,'and the hoisting device for elevating andsustaining the other end of the ham mock.

4. The hammock frame provided with hinged side rails and means forfixing the angle of the hinge, ill-combination with devices for hingingits lower end to the foot of the bed, anda hoisting device applied toits opposite end and adapted to raise, lower, and sustain the hammockfrom that end, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore setforth.

5. The hammock-frame and hammock-body with opening therein, incombination with the transverse covering-flap, its retaining-cords, andthe hooks on the hammock-frame for receiving said cords.

6. The combination, with the hammockframc provided with hinged siderails and means for fixing the angle of the hinge, of the archeddetachable cross-brace, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW LESLIE.

\Vitnesses:

EDWD. O. ELIOT, WM. E. FIssE.

